Hello Roz Thank you so much for your reply. Looking for Thompson's in Yorkshire is like looking for straw in a haystack, never mind a needle! Yup, that's us. I have in front of me a copy of the will of William Thompson of Richmond, felmonger, who died on 10 June 1758. His executors were his wife, Catherine, and -- failing her -- "my brother Robert Dunn of Richmond, Innholder, and my nephew Francis Geldard of the same place, Butcher". The will is signed by Jane Geldard, Jane Geldard Junr, and Wm Sleigh as the three witnesses, and these signatures are clear on the photocopy. The will is dated 23 February 1758, by which date (your) Jane Geldard was already widowed. The chances of this being the same family must be high. A son and a grandson were both named William Thompson, (1742 - 1827) and (1784 -- 1831), and they both served at times as Aldermen on the Richmond Town Council and as Mayor. We still have their family bibles within the family. Known loosely as "the Riding Thompsons", they lived at Cornforth Hill in Richmond. I have recently found mention of other names at Cornforth Hill through internet research, e.g. Robert Thompson in 1823, who is described as a "surgeon". The two youngest sons of William Thompson III as above came to South Africa in the 1840's. The youngest, Francis, farmed at "Cornforth Hill" in the Griqualand West area near Kimberley and was the father of Francis Robert Thompson ("Matabele Thompson"), who secured the Rudd Concession for Cape Prime Minister Cecil John Rhodes from Chief Lobengula at Bulawayo, in what is now Zimbabwe. My grandmother was Matabele Thompson's elder daughter. At this point, I cannot go further back than what you already have, i.e. Jane Geldard and the first William Thompson (died 1758), but I am aware of possible links between the Richmond fellmongers and some Thompsons at Hudswell which is just south of the River Swale. Please could you send me your postal address, as I would like to send you a copy of the Thompson wills as well as Matabele Thompson's autobiography (completed by his younger daughter Nancy Rouillard and published many years ago as a Dassie Penguin). Kindest regards Dave Mitchell Cape Town South Africa ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, January 06, 2006 1:35 PM Subject: Re:THOMPSON -- Cornforth Hill, Richmond, and vicinity > Hi Dave, > > We have links with a THOMPSON family of Richmond, but have very little > information about them. > The only individual I have details on is Jane THOMPSON, born about 1703, > who > married John GELDARD in Richmond in 1723. John was a butcher, who at his > death in 1752 owned 2 shops and the Griffin Inn, all in Richmond Market > Place. > Jane continued the business until her own death, when it passed to two > unmarried daughters. > This couple had a large family; names include Edward, William, Francis, > Catherine, Miles and Susanna. I believe Jane's brother was a William > THOMPSON, > but know nothing else about her origins. Any likely connection? > > Best wishes, > Roz > > > > ______________________________